


New Life

by Frangipanidownunder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 11:51:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14135502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frangipanidownunder/pseuds/Frangipanidownunder
Summary: Mulder looks to his past to welcome his future.





	New Life

He knows it’s there somewhere. Tucked under the pile of dusty photo albums. The paper is yellow, the cursive faded. But he rescues it from its tomb and carries it to the study, giving it new life.

He strains to read the instructions. His mother’s handwriting is uncharacteristically extravagant. His glasses are a weight across the bridge of his nose. His knuckles ache. The light from the reading lamp on the desk is unequal to the task. He feels unequal to the task – not just of the one at hand, but of the one rushing headlong at him. It wakes him in the night. Scully holds his hand, pulls him to her and they find sleep again. Touch, skin-to-skin, human comfort.

He whispers a thank you to Teena, a ‘miss you’ to Samantha and he tucks the pattern and photo inside his new book on parenting.

“Mulder?” Scully is soft and ripe in her robe. “Have you been here all night?”

He nods, removing his glasses. His eyes water, his temples throb, his neck creaks.

“What are you doing?”

He holds up the bonnet. In the morning light he can see all his mistakes, slipped stitches and awkward casting. But when he looks at Scully’s face, he knows she sees past that.


End file.
